Universal mounting device for spot lamps



Jan. 25, 1955 w, MEARs 2,700,525

UNIVERSAL MOUNTING DEVICE FOR SPOT LAMPS Filed Dec. 30. 1950 4 5 Isnvntor (Ittornegs United States Patent UNIVERSAL MOUNTING DEVICE FOR SPOT LAlVIPS William T. Mears, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1950, Serial No. 203,681

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-291) The present invention relates to mounting devices and more particularly to mounting devices for automotive vehicle spot lamps of the type commonly known as through-the-post spot lamps.

Through-the-post spot lamps generally comprise a lamp housing rotatably mounted on a tubular arm which extends through the door post or panel of an automotive vehicle and carries at its opposite end a rotatably mounted operating handle. A gear rack mounted within the tubular arm and having gear teeth in engagement with pinion gears attached to the lamp housing and handle permits rotation of the lamp housing by manual rotation of the operating handle. Likewise, the tubular arm is rotatably mounted in the door post or panel to permit shifting of the axis of the lamp by rotation of the tubular arm.

Because the door panel and post surface contours vary considerably with the different automotive vehicle lines, it has heretofore been necessary that substantially each through-the-post spot lamp installation be made by prolonged and inefficient cut and try methods to obtain proper alignment of the tubular supporting arm with the supported lamp housing.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved throngh-the-post spot lamp mounting device that avoids unnecessary cut and try installation methods.

This and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a universal mounting device comprising an escutcheon plate adapted to receive any one of a plurality of bushings having a predetermined angle of bore to receive the supporting arm of a through-the-post spot lamp for proper alignment in the door panel or post of an automotive vehicle of varying external contour surfaces.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the drawing in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an automotive vehicle illustrating a through-the-post spot lamp installation embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section of the escutcheon plate and bushing assembly embodying the present invention; Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the bushing which forms part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a fragmentary portion of a vehicle body structure 2 consisting of a door 4, a door post 6 and a Windshield 8. Mounted on the door 4 adjacent the door post 6 is a through-the-post spot lamp 10 comprising a lamp housing 12 rotatably mounted on a support 14 which extends toward the door panel 16 and into engagement with a bushing 18 recessed in an escutcheon plate 20 attached to the door panel. The bushing 18 and escutcheon plate 20 comprise the improved through-the-post spot lamp mounting device of the present invention.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4 the escutcheon plate 20 is illustrated as having an elongated hollow body portion 22, see Figure 3, with a boss portion 24 extending laterally from the elongated body. The base edge 26 of the escutcheon is formed with a contour adapted to cooperatively engage the door panel 16 to cause the boss portion 24 to extend substantially horizontally of the vehicle when the escutcheon is attached to the door panel in substantially the same manner as illustrated in Figure 2. The elongated body portion of the escutcheon is provided with recessed conical seating surfaces 28 adjacent openings 30 to receive threaded members 32 for attachment of the escutcheon to the door panel or post. To adapt the escutcheon to receive the bushing 18 for supporting a through-the-post type spot lamp assembly the boss portion is provided with a circular bore 36 having an axially aligned locating lug 38 raised from the wall thereof. The lamp assembly supporting bushing 18, as shown in Figure 6, is formed with an enlarged mid portion 40 With reduced cylindrical ends 42 and 44. The external diameter of the cylindrical end 44 is slightly less than the diameter of bore 36 in the escutcheon boss so that the bushing may be received in the bore. An axially aligned slot 46 in the reduced end 44 is adapted to receive the lug 38 in the wall of bore 36, see Figure 5, to properly align the bushing in the escutcheon. The bushing is provided with an internal bore 48, the axial alignment of the bore being predetermined with respect to the axis of the external surface of the reduced cylindrical end 44 of bushing 18 to receive and properly align the through-the-post tubular member 52 of the spot lamp assembly.- In this connection, it will be obvious that to place the lamp housing 10 in a position Where it will not afford an obstruction to the vehicle operators view, it is desirable to mount the lamp housing in a position which will be substantially in line with the door post and the observers eye. With this mounting arrangement the masking of the operators view caused by lamp housing is reduced to a minimum. To accomplish this alignment it will be seen that for a desirable alignment of the lamp housing the axis of the internal bore 48 of the bushing will be substantially inclined to the door panel. Also illustrated by broken lines in Figure 4 is the outline of a bushing wherein the axis of the internal bore 48 and the axis of the external Wall of the reduced end 44 more closely approaches coincidence. Such an axial alignment of the internal bore may be desired Where the door panel curves inwardly to a considerable amount adjacent the door post. In this connection it will be understood that a plurality of bushings may be provided each having an internal bore of difierent axial alignment with the external wall of the reduced end 44 of the bushing to provide suitable positioning for the lamp housing on vehicles of different external door surfaces. To conceal the reduced end 42, it is formed with an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the lamp supporting member 14 thus adapting the reduced end 42 to be received in the end of the lamp supporting member 14 and providing a compact assembly of the mounting device and the through-the-post lamp assembly.

In assembling a through-the-post lamp assembly on a vehicle with a mounting device embodying the present invention, a desirable position is selected on the door or door post and the escutcheon plate is secured by the threaded members 32. In attaching the escutcheon, a rubber gasket 50 is interposed between the base edge of the escutcheon and the door panel, the gasket being a resilient material adapted to accommodate a minor degree of unevenness of the base edge 26 to provide a sealed joint. To provide a uniform engagement of the base edge of the escutcheon with the gasket and door panel it may require a minor modification of the base edge by cutting to obtain uniform engagement of the base edge and substantially horizontal alignment of the internal bore 36 of the escutcheon plate.

With the escutcheon plate attached a bushing having an internal bore alignment to provide suitable positioning of the lamp housing is selected and inserted in the internal bore of the boss portion, the proper alignment being assured by the cooperating lug 38 and slot 46 of the boss portion and bushing respectively. Thereafter a hole may be drilled through the door or door post for receiving the tubular member 52 of the spot lamp assembly. The internal bore of the bushing acts as a guide for the drill bit. With the proper bushing selected and a hole provided through the door, the tubular member 52 of the lamp assembly may be inserted and the lamp assembly secured for operation.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it will be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A universal mounting device for securing a throughthe-post spot lamp assembly to an automotive vehicle, said device comprising an escutcheon plate with a laterally extending boss having a recess therein and a lug in the wall of said recess, means for attaching said escutcheon plate to said vehicle and a bushing having a longitudinally extending bore therethrough and reduced end portions, one of said end portions extending into said recess and having a slot in the wall engageable with said lug to resist turning of said bushing in said escutcheon plate, the other end of said bushing being adapted to be recessed in the lamp bracket of said assembly, said bore being adapted 'to rotatably support said assembly.

2. A universal mounting device for securing a throught'he-po'st 'spot lamp assembly to an automotive vehicle, said device comprising a bracket having a recess therein providing communication through said bracket and a locating lug in the wall of said recess, means for attaching said bracket to said vehicle and an elongated generally tubular member having reduced ends, one of said ends extending into said recess and having a slot in the wall for engaging said lug to resist turning of said tubular member in said bracket, the other end being adapted to be recessed in said assembly, said tubular member having an internal bore alignment predetermined with respect to said bracket to support said assembly in a position on said vehicle in general alignment with the operators eye and the windshield post of said vehicle.

3. A universal mounting device for securing a throughthe-post spot lamp assembly to an automotive vehicle, said device comprising an escutcheon provided with means for attachment to a supporting surface, said escutcheon having an opening extending therethrough, a bushing abutting said escutcheon and having a bore therethrough communicating with said opening, an elongated member extending through said bore and said opening and a tubular lamp supporting member covering one end of said elongated member and abutting said bushing, the axis of said bore being at an angle to the axis of said opening, said angle being that required to locate the spot lamp substantially in line with the windshield post and the operator of the vehicle thereby affording optimum viewing area.

RefierencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

